


Pickings

by scrawly_times



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, and bifur giggles a lot, and there's some bagginshield hinting, bombur's worried about his bro, the bofur/fili is background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 06:47:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13405695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrawly_times/pseuds/scrawly_times
Summary: Bombur's unsure about his brother flirting with royalty, Bifur is a giggling shit, and Bilbo is generally unaware of everything going on.





	Pickings

Bifur muttered something almost incomprehensible, picking through bundles of flowers and plants he’d picked on their few breaks in walking the ponies. Or maybe during the times where he just hopped off his pony and walked on foot.

“Quite,” Bombur muttered back and picked up a sprig of what looked like a familiar herb he’d seen somewhere before. Somewhere. “They think they’re rather subtle, don’t they?” He and Bifur traded amused looks before peeking back over the campfire to Fili and Bofur talking quietly some distance away.

“Pardon?” Bilbo spoke up, thoroughly startling Bombur, who hadn’t realized he was there. “Oh terribly sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you!” Bifur began to giggle quietly in his rough, hacking laughter, making Bilbo jump this time. “Ah, sorry..?”

Bombur waved off the hobbit’s apology, returning to picking through the various plants Bifur was still fiddling with. Where he fit all the stalks Bombur’d never know. “Nothin to ‘pologize for, Master Baggins. Can I help yeh?”

“Ah, well, I noticed you were ah…” Bilbo blustered a bit, waving a hand towards the bits and pieces of poor foliage lying about between the cousins. He paused when Bifur took a flower up, stared at it rather closely, and then stuffed it in his mouth with an appeased grunt. “...I was curious.” He finished rather lamely, obviously unsure of himself.

“M’cousin likes plants and flowers, which am sure yeh know isn’t too ah… dwarvish.” Bombur said slowly, running fingers over his braid to check for stray hairs. “Most o’th Company won’t eat any but Bifur loves ‘em. I don’t mind ‘em too much but better’n nothin.”

More food was better than less, in his opinion. And what were the spices and herbs dwarves liked on their meats but plants and flowers themselves? The average dwarf’s dislike of growing things confused and aggravated him. Not only because they judged his cousin for his love of them.

“Ah yes, dratted confounding it is.” Bilbo agreed and Bombur thought fondly of the many dishes he’d had in his home with vegetables and green things aplenty. Hobbits liked green things very well and that pleased him and Bifur rather well. Bofur thought it odd but certainly wasn’t going to turn down free food of any stripe.

“Well Bifur’s fond o’ gatherin anything he sees and tryin’ ta eat it.” Bombur gave his cousin a fond if exasperated glare, finding himself losing his wariness towards their Burglar despite his inner caution.

Bifur only stared at him, one wide eye twitching slightly. He grabbed another flower and stuffed it in his mouth without breaking eye contact.

“So we made a deal a while back, tha’ he can eat what he pleases if we can make sure it won’t harm him any.” Bombur huffed out a great breath. “But I don’t know half these things he’s picked.” And sometimes Bifur would do things not quite knowing he was doing them, such as eating plants he had no knowledge of. Bombur never held it against him (his mind scattered sometimes and none of them could do anything to help but wait for him to come back) but it made him worry _so_ badly that someday Bifur would absently stuff something deadly in his mouth.

“Ah well, I can surely help you there!” Bilbo said cheerfully, stepping over the rocks and settling himself firmly on a log. “Hobbits know everything there is to know of any plant of Western Eriador, and quite a few outside it!”

Bombur gave the hobbit a somewhat blank look before feeling a shy smile break its way across his face. “That would be mightily ‘preciated, Master Baggins.” Bifur, looking away from his pickings, nodded and threw his braids around in how fast he tried to show his approval.

“Oh, please, call me Bilbo,” The hobbit laughed and wrung his hands a bit before bending down to look over some of the crumpled plants.

“Then it is Bombur to you as well.” Bombur said shyly. Bifur made a fist rather sharply, his knuckles and fingers cracking quite loudly. Bombur looked to him and watched as he made a quick gesture. “Bifur wishes you do th same for him.”

“Of course,” Bilbo smiled and began to question Bombur on what he knew of the various plants and flowers. A very enlightening conversation followed, though Bombur and Bilbo derailed the conversation into meals and dishes several times. All it took was Bifur making an amused snort before they both apologized and returned to the original point.

Soon enough though the plants had been sorted and the night was getting darker and the three had slowly stopped talking, enjoying the warmth of the fire and peace.

Bifur began to make his unnerving giggles again, making poor Bilbo jump.

“What? What is it?” Bilbo took a deep breath to calm his sudden nerves and visibly tried to ignore the grating tone to Bifur’s snickers.

Bombur peered over the fire and rumbled nervously. “He jus’ thinks those two’s bumbling is rather funny.” Bilbo followed their eyes and his own widened.

“Fili and Bofur?” Bilbo said, sounding genuinely confused. “What of them?”

“Aye, jus watch and yeh’ll get it soon nuff.” Bombur said, turning his attention to the fire with more focus than it should take to stoke flames.

Bilbo, bless his tiny heart, sat there patiently, watching the two with pretense of watching the flickering flames whenever it looked like they were caught staring. Bifur of course didn’t bother with any sort of cover and giggled to himself every now and then.

“Ah.” Bilbo eventually said, amused and understanding. “That’s… rather interesting.”

“Tis off.” Bombur said quietly. “Bofur should know better than flirtin about with royals.” His eyes twitched up to the pair and back down to the fire. Bilbo caught his worried face and hummed.

“I apologize if I offend any, but what does it matter?” His head was tilted to the side ever so slightly and Bombur winced a bit. “Only, hobbits have no real concept of royalty or nobility. Neither do we have any real limits on who we share affections for. Two men, well, that is a bit odd true, and will send many traditional families up in a twitter, but it’s not unallowed.”

“Ah, that is not it.” Bombur muttered. “It’s… we’re somewhat poor, not the worst off of the lower classes, but we’ve been in many a rough spot before.” He turned a bit red and focused all of his attention on the charred logs. “Royals, well, best to keep a respectful distance. Bofur’s gotten cross with me when I tell him that though.” Bifur huffed and focused a determined glare on Bombur. “Bifur agrees with him, so am a bit outnumbered. Don’t want to make too much a fuss but…”

“Well I must personally agree with Bifur and Bofur,” Bilbo said nonplussed. “But I will _also_ agree with you that said Royalty is rather impressive and intimidating.” He nodded firmly and Bombur looked up with a bemused smile. “Besides, brother or no what Bofur does is his own business. And Fili seems to not be too unhappy with the attention either.”

All three glimpsed back up over the rising flames and had to hold back snickers at Bofur’s too wide grin as he told a joke and Fili’s slightly confused if pleased smile. Bifur, of course, went ahead and began giggling again.

“Aye, yeh hold a point.” Bombur admitted, still red but softening. “Jus’ hope he doesn’t get in any trouble. ‘Specially with the King.”

Bombur’s eyes moved over worriedly to Thorin, sitting up on a stump some ways away. He didn’t seem to notice Fili and Bofur’s conversation but Bombur had seen how critically the King looked on his nephews. With care, yes, but he didn’t want Thorin’s infamous ire directed towards his brother.

Bilbo gave Thorin a rather pursed look and huffed. “Unless I’m rather mistaken, King or no he has no right to say who his nephews can or not have relations with.” He glared so heatedly Bombur was surprised Thorin couldn’t feel it burning into the side of his head.

Bombur made a somewhat choked noise while Bifur’s giggles dropped a pitch.

 _I thought Bofur was JOKING when he suggested they were making eyes at each other!_ Bifur signed gleefully while Bilbo wasn’t looking.

 _So did I!_ Bombur twitched back.

_I’m going to see if Nori’s opened bets._

_No you’re NOT-_ Bombur stopped signing when Bilbo huffed again and turned his attention back to the campfire. He continued to give Bifur a judging look as Bilbo sighed grumpily.

“Ah well, it’s fairly late and I’m tired.” Bilbo said, smiling. “Goodnight, Bombur, Bifur.” He nodded to both of them and retreated to his bedroll.

Bombur said a quiet ‘goodnight’ and Bifur grinned and waved jerkily. Bombur then looked over to where Bofur was still talking with a goofy grin and waving wildly about.

 _If you go and pull him away I’ll toss some of those white clover flowers with the stew tomorrow night._ Bombur signed wearily in Iglishmêk. Bifur giggled and stood up to go fetch Bofur, since Bombur was still nervous about interacting with either of the Princes.

**Author's Note:**

> ,,, I hope you all enjoyed! Made this as a gift for my bro, who is Really craving just plain fluffy Fili/Bofur fics. Didn't quite deliver like I intended to but I still hope they love it anyways :P Bombur stole the show and he needs more love anyways <3


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